First woman to lead US Zionist umbrella body, which adds six new members.
(Courtesy of AZM) Deborah S. Isaac was elected President of the American Zionist Movement (AZM), the United States federation of 39 Zionist organizations, at the AZM Biennial National Assembly held virtually with over 400 participants from 30 states. She becomes the first woman to serve as president of AZM.
Six new organizational members of AZM were introduced at the Assembly: A Wider Bridge; Coordinating Council for the Jewish Homeland; Dorshei Torah V’Tzion; Maccabi USA; Shas Olami America; and Volunteers for Israel.
“Israel is the one and only homeland of the Jewish people. Zionism is about that peoplehood. There is only one place in the entire world that will protect Jews no matter where we are regardless of our status as citizen or non-citizen. We must celebrate and elevate Israel with every fiber of our being,” said Deborah Isaac in her inaugural remarks as AZM president.
Ms. Isaac is a past national president and longtime leader in AMIT, Israel’s leading educational network of schools. Deborah has been a delegate of the Orthodox Israel Coalition/Mizrachi slate to three World Zionist Congresses. She is currently a member of the presidium of the Vaad Hapoel/Zionist General Council of the World Zionist Organization. Ms. Isaac is a resident of New Rochelle, New York, and a former corporate reorganization and real estate attorney in private practice.
Other AZM officers elected at the Assembly were:
Chair of the National Board, Michael Laufer, ARZA, New York
Vice President for Programming, Nomi Colton-Max, Ameinu, New Jersey
Vice President for Inter-Organizational Relations, Ellen Hershkin, Hadassah, New York
Vice President for WZO Relations, Mindy Stein, Emunah, New Jersey
Vice President for Financial Resource Development, Martin Oliner, RZA-Mizrachi, New York
Treasurer, Susan Longo, ARZA, Illinois
Secretary, Lori Lowenthal Marcus, ZOA, Pennsylvania
Deborah Isaac succeeds Richard D. Heideman of Washington, D.C., as AZM president.
For more information, requests for photos contact Alicia Post, AZM national program and communications director, at [email protected].
